Brian McGrory on Buddy: How a Rooster Made Me a (Family) Man | Tantorious

Tantorious is a semi-monthly podcast series featuring interviews with well-known authors, hosted by Allan Hoving and presented by Tantor Audio.

Brian McGrory is a longtime newspaper reporter, editor, and columnist. Born and raised in and around Boston, he has written for and edited the Boston Globe since 1989. He has a twice-weekly column that appears on the front of the metro section, for which he has won the Scripps Howard journalism award. He also is the author of four novels. His new book, Buddy: How a Rooster Made Me a (Family) Man, is a heartwarming and wise tale of finding love in life’s second chapter—and how it means all the more when you have to fight for it.

Excerpts from the audio interview:

Q: How did you and Buddy meet?

A: I had a truly great dog named Harry, a golden retriever who was with me during a tumultuous time in my life. Through him, I met and got engaged to his veterinarian, Pam, who had two daughters, a dog of her own, various pets… and a rooster named Buddy. Buddy had been living with them in suburbia and didn’t understand what I was doing moving in. He hated my guts and went out of his way to make my life a living hell.

Q: Did the two of you ever resolve your differences?

A: We did, slowly. Pam kept telling me ‘You have to appreciate Buddy for what he is: he is committed to this family, committed to the yard; all he wants is to be part of the group.’ I started looking at him as my mentor: he taught me about patience and satisfaction, and as I learned, he started feeling less threatened. Ultimately, he taught me about transformations and transitions in life.

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